Gun mounting



April 1 1924. 1,488,746

E. H. T. DEYNCOURT ET AL GUN MOUNTING Original Filed June' v, 1918 VII/ QM MM, Ma OW cg c2. 0

Patented Apr. 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUSTACE HENRY TENNYSON DEYNCOUBT AND FREDERICK BKEENS, OI WHITEHALL,

LQNDON, ENGLAND.

GUN HQUNTING.

briginal application filed June 7, 1918, Serial No. 238,881. Divided and this application filed Kay 7,

Serial No. 487,698.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 8, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1818.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EUSTAGE HnNRY TENNYSON DEYNooUR'r and FREDERICK. SxnnNs, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at the Admiralty, Whitehall, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun Mountings (for which we have filed application in Great Britain, No. 18,421, dated Dec. 22, 1916, Patent No. 121,746), of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in an improved combined gun mountin and protective shield which, while capa le of being employed on any movable or stationary structure, is particularly applicable to armoured or armed cars, such as for example as those employed in overcoming heavy defence work used in trench warfare.

It has heretofore been proposed to mount a gun in a sphere which is pivoted in a step bearing to rotate about a vertical axis, and which can roll on a suitable track about a horizontal axis, the sphere being arranged to move within an aperture in a fixed shield 5 also a gun has been trunnioned in a art spherical mounting which is arrange to rotate either about a horizontal or a vertical axis in an opening in a fixed shield, the mounting being provided with an elongated aperture through whichthe barrel 0 the gun protrudes and which allows movement of the gun for training or elevating as the case may be, the mounting towards the rear being shaped so that it fits closely around the gun barrel during its movement relatively to the mounting; also it has been proposed to form or fit to a gun a ball capable of movement within asocket secured to the wall of the structure within which the 'gun is placed, the ball having a through opening for a sighting telescope.

A combined gun mounting and protective shield according to this invention is characterized by a spherically shaped shield dis posed in an aperture in the structure carrying the gun and formed with a sighting aperture and with a gun aperture closely embracing the gun, a forked member, means for pivoting the gun to said member for elevatmg and means for pivoting said member 'to the structure for train In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a construction embodyin this inyention, Figure 1 is an elevation, i re 2 is an elevation looking in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan and Figure 4 a part sectional elevation of a form of shutter suitable for the construction of mounting.

In the drawings 1 is the plating or bulkhead of the vehicle or stationary structure and 2 is a plate attached to the part 1. The parts 1 and 2 are formed with holes in which the shield 13 (hereinafter described) is disposed. In the construction shown virtual trunnions are provided for the gun, which is arranged to slide into and out of position in the mounting. The gun 4 is supported in a clamping ring 11 having a clampin band 11 readily removable such as by w1thdrawal of one or both securing pins 11 according as to whether the band is pivoted or completely removable. The clamping ring is carried by a bracket 12 secured to a spherically shaped shield '13 mounted withm a gun ort or other enveloping aperture forme in the structure carrying the n, and the ring or bracket is provided wit trunnions 14 engaging in hearings in a fork 15 mounted to rotate about a vertical axis by means of a stud 15' engaging in a step or other bearing secured to the structure such as directly or indirectly to the plates 1 or 2. 'The trunnions are retained in position in the bearing by hinged or pivoted caps 15 secured in position by wing bolts 16. The shield 13 is shown in slightly exceeding the hemisphere, and is provided with a sighting aperture 17. It will thus be seen that when the gun is in position, the gun and the shield can be moved in a universal manner about the horizontal trunnion axis and about the vertical axis of the forked pivot, the line of sight through the aperture being always fixed relatively to the longitudinal axis of the By removing the clamping band 11' the form shown in Figure 4 is provided which necting the gun can be withdrawn and by removing the aperture in said structure and formed with wing bolts 16 and turning back the caps a slghti aperture and w1th a gun aperthe shield can be removed. ture close y embracing the n, a forked In order to close the opening in the shield member, a bracket on said s ield for supwhen the gun is removed a shutter in the porting the gun, means for detachably conto said bracket, means for consists of a spherically shaped portion 18 pivoting sai bracket to said member for v ofsufiicient area to cover the whole of the elevatin and means for pivoting said memaperture in the shield and is carried by a her to t e structure for training.

tubular orother shaped member ,18 ro- 3. In a gun mounting, the combination vided with a shouldered recess 18' or the 'ke with the gun andthe structure'carrying it, of over which the clamping band 11' can be a spherically shaped shield disposed in an placed to Secure the shutter in position, s aperture in said structure and formed with that the shutter and shield move about the a sighting aperture and with a gun aperture same centre. closely embracing the'gun, a member carry- Combined mountings and shields with ing a clamping band for detachably connectshutters as above described provide for an ing the gun to the shield so that the latter armoured or armed vehicle or other movable and the gun move together, a forked member,

- or stationary structure being fitted. with a horizontal trunnions connecting the first large number of gun positions without the mentioned member to said forked member,

. necessity of having a gun-mounted rmaand a vertical training pivot connecting nently in each, as the guns may dissaid forked member to the structure. mounted from one position and remounted 4. In a gun mounting, the combination either in another position in the structure with the gun and the structure carrying it, or outside the structure if desired such as of a spherically shaped shield disposed in when enga ed in land warfare, thereby enan aperture in said structure and formed abling a minimum number of guns to be carwith a sighting aperture and with a n ried and their most efiective use obtained, aperturec osly embracing the gun, a for ed without leaving openings in the structure member, a bracket on said shield for su throughwhich the personnel inside would porting the gun, means for pivoting said be exposed to counter attack, the openings racket to said member for elevating, means "sing closed by securing the shutters as for pivoting said memberto the structure for above described after removal of the guns, training, and a shutter for closing the un ,We would here state that" the expression aperture in said shield when the gun as spherically shaped member used in the enbeen removed, said shutter being adapted to suing claiming clauses is intended toinclude be held inplace by said bracket. a member of spherical or partly spherical 5. In a mounting, the combination shwi. with the and the structure carrying it, at we claim and desire to secure by of a'sphencally shaped shield disposed in an Letters Patent of the United States is:- aperture in said structure and formed with 1. In a gun mounting, the combination a sighting aperture and with a gun aperture with the gun and the structure carryin it, closelyembracing the gun, a member carryof a spherically shaped shield disposed in inga clamping band for detachably connectan aperture in said structure and formed ing the gun to the shield so that the latter with a si hting a erture and with a and thegunmove together,a forked member, aperture 0 osely em raci the gun, afor ed horizontal trunnions connecting the first s member, a bracket on said shield for supmentioned member to said forked member,

s with the un and the structure carrying it,

rting the gun, means for pivoting said a vertical trainin pivot connectin said racket to said forked member forelevating, forked member to t e structure and a s utter and means for pivoting said member to the held in osition by said clampin band for structure for training. closing t e gun aperture in said s ield when 2. In a gun mounting, the combination the gun has been removed.

EUSTACE HENRY TENNYSON DEYNCOURT.

of a spherically shaped shield disposed in an FREDERICK SKEENS, 

